Loading machine



April23, 1946. J. H. ROGERS E12AL- LOADING MACHINE Filed June 12. 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Apr. 23, 1946 OFFICEr LOADING MACHINE John H. Rogers and'llerman E. Liiebbers,l Fort Dodge,v Iowa Application June 12, 1944, Serial No.l 539,900

d Claims. (Cl. 214-140) This invention relates generally to loading vmachines and in particular to a loading attachment for a tractor comprising load-lifting members movably supported on the tractor and fluid operated hoists or lifts operable from a source of fluid pressure on the tractor to raise and lower the load-lifting members.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved loading machine.

Another. object of this invention is `to provide a loading attachment for a tractor Awhich isof a normal height substantially within the vertical confines of the tractor, light in weight and compact in design so that complete visibility to the tractor operator and normal ease o f maneuverability ofthe tractor is retained during the operation of the attachment.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a loading attachment for a tractor comprising a lifting member pivoted on the tractor for vision of a loading attachment for a tractor hav-v ing a pair of lifting arms pivoted at opposite sidesy of the tractor for up and down movement, in which a pair of upright hoists are arranged between theV tractor and a corresponding arm and pivotally supported adjacent their lower ends on the tractor at a vposition substantially centrally of the arms. Each hoist includes a lifting portion movable upwardly from the upper lend of the hoist and adapted to movably support a cable having one end connected to the tractor and an opposite end to a corresponding arm.

Another feature of this invention is found in the .provision of a loading machine having a scoop pivotally. supported on a load-lifting member, in

which the dumping movement of the scoop is limited by means including an upright lever pivoted on the lifting member with its free end connected `by a cable with the scoop. A spring pressed rod is pivoted to the lever adjacent its lower pivoted end, and functions as a buffer in the limitingof the maximum dumping movement of the scoop, with the spring action of the rod cooperating with the pivotal action of the lever on lowering ofthe lifting member, to automatically return the scoop to a normal load carrying position.

`pivotal up, and down movement, in which an up- Further objects, features. and advantages of lthis invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with i' the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 isa side elevational view of the loader attachment of this invention shown in assembly relation with a tractorv and with the scoop elevated and in a dumping position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. l; y

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the loader attachment and tractor assembly shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the scoop showing the scoop latch mechanism; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional v'lew showing the assembly and construction of the lower end of a hydraulic lift used in the loader attachment shown in Fig. 1: and

Fig. 6 is a detail side elevational view of the upper end ofthe hydraulic lift.

With reference to the drawings the loader attachment of this invention is shown in Figs, 1, 2 and 3 in assembly relation with a tractor comprising a frame I5, front duall wheels I6 supported on an axle I1, and rear wheels I8 supported on an axle I9. The tractor is of a type which includes an oil pump unit, indicated generally at 2|, adapted to operate fluid pressure operated attachments and having suitable valve means (not.y

shown) for controlling the operation of such attachments.

The loader attachment of .this invention includes a pair of lifting arms 22, of a pipe conoppositely arranged on the rear axle I9 and i clamped against the axle I9 by bolts 29..

The front ends of the lifting arms'22 are connected together by a channel shaped frame member 3l extended transversely between thelifting arms 22 at a position forwardly of the tractor and by channel members 32 having their inner adjacent ends connected with the central portion of yceive a shaft 34 on which a scoop 36 is mounted.

The 'shaft 34 extends across the bottom of the scoop .36 adjacent its forward end 31 and is retained within the bifurcated end mrtions 33 by bolts 38 projected through the free ends of the bifurcations.

Each lifting arm 22 is reinforced by a truss or bridge member 39 of rod form extended longitudinally along the top of a corresponding arm, and connected at its opposite ends adjacent corresponding opposite ends of anv arm. The central portion of a truss member 39 is connected in a spaced relation with a corresponding lifting arm by an upright supporting plate 4I which is welded to the member 33 and to a corresponding lifting arm. As clearly appears in Figs. 1 and 3 9. supporting plate is located substantially intermediate the ends of a lifting arm 22. v

The arms 22 are pivotally moved up and down by means including a pair of upright hydraulic hoists or lifts 42 arranged at opposite sides of the tractor frame I8 and with a lift positioned between the tractor frame and a corresponding lifting arm 22. Each lift 42 includes a cylinder 43 having a flat base member 44 with a pair of downwardly projected spaced members 48 adapted to receive therebetween a rock shaft 41 arranged rearwardly of the front axle I1 and extended transversely of the tractor frame I8 (Figs. 1 and The base 44 is supported on the rock shaft 41 with the members 48 terminating' below the level of the rock shaft. The cylinder 43 is held in a fixed position on the rock shaft for movement therewith by clamping bolts 43 extended through the members 46. 'Ihe rock shaft 41 is supported at a position below the tractor frame I5 in elongated upright plate members 49 secured to the sides of the tractor frame by bolts or the like 5I.

Since each hoist 42 is similarly assembled with a corresponding lifting arm 22 only one of such assemblies will be referred to in detail in the following description.

The cylinder 43 of the hoist 42 is of a height or length such that when the arm 22 is in its lowermost position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the upper end of the cylinder is above the top level of the tractor hood 52. operatively associated with the cylinder 43 is a lifting or working piston 83. The lower end of the piston 53 (Fig. 5) is formed with a reduced threaded section ll on which are stacked in the following order a supporting plate 51, a leather plunger 58, a plunger supporting member 59 and a nut 6l, with the nut on being tightened clamping the above defined stacked parts against a shoulder 62 at the junction of the main body of the piston and the reduced section 56.

The lowermost position of the piston 53 is defined by the engagement of the bottom end of the section 58 with a plate member 83 extended across the cylinder 43 in an upwardly spaced relation from the base 44 to define an oil reservoir 64, having communication with the upper portion ofthe cylinder through an opening 88 in the plate member 83. The reservoir is provided with an 'inlet 81 adapted for connection with a hose connection 88.

, which in turn is connected with the oil pump unit 2 l carried on the tractor. l The upper end of the piston 53 carries a supporting unit 68a (Fig. 6) integrally formed with a top member 69 of anlnverted U-shape, and a lower sleeve member 10 adapted to loosely t overl the upper end of the piston 83. A pair of disc bearing members l5 are interposed betwe'en they sleeve member 10 and upper endg of the piston rod 83 to provide for a free rotation of the unit 88a relative to the piston rod. Rotatably supported between the legs of the top member 89, on a pin 1I, is a pulley 12 for movably supporting a cable 13. The pulley -12 (Figs. 1 and 3) is rotatable in a plane extended substantially transversely of the tractor. With the cable 13 supported onl the pulley 12 one end 14 of the cable is connected with a hook 15 at the upper end of the bearing plate 49, while its opposite end is connected to a turn buckle 18 which in turn is connected with a- U-shaped member 11 arranged in a straddling relation with the brace rod 39 and the supporting plate 4l. The U member 11 is pivotally connected with the supporting plate 4l by a pin 18 extended through the free ends of the legs of the U member 11 and through one of the openings 19 in the supporting plate 4I. Connection of the cable 13 with the lifting arm 22 is thus adjustable longitudinally of the lifting arm by insertingl the pin 18 through a desired one of the openings 18. An adjustment in the length of the cable 13 is accomplished by a manipulation of the turn buckle 18.

In the operation of the hoists 42 assume the lifting arms 22 to be in the dotted line position cf Fig. 1. On the concurrent application of a fluid pressure to the cylinders 43, from the unit 2l through the hose connection 68 and inlets 81. the pistons 53 are moved upwardly. Since the cable ends 'I4 are attached to the tractor frame I5 at the hooks 15 this upward movement of the pistons 53 produces a downward pulling force in the cable portions between their attached ends 14 and the pulleys 12 whereby the lifting arms 22 vare raised. By virtue of the pivotal upward movement of the lifting arms 22 the line of application of the pulling force on the lifting arms moves in a direction rearwardly of the tractor. As a result of this rearward movement of the line of application of the pulling force the pulleys 12 tend to assume a position vertically above a corresponding pivoted connection v'I8 of the cables 13 with the supporting plates 4I, so that the hoists 42 pivot with the rock shaft 41 ina direction rearwardly of the tractor, to a position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. Concurrently with the pivotal movement of the hoists 42 the units 68a. are rotated relative to the pistons 53 by the action of the cables 13 on the pulleys 12, whereby the cables 13 are retained within the pulleys 12. This rotation of the units further substantially eliminates any rotation of the plunger 58 within the cylinder '43, whereby the service life of the plunger 58 is' the upper ends of the Apistons 53. The stabilizing means comprises a bar member 8| extended across the tractor between the'upper ends of the brackets 89 and pivoted at its-'ends on bolts 88 secured in the upper ends ofy the top members 89. The pivotal connection of the bar 8| with the members 89 permits the free formation bf the units 68a on corresponding pistons 53. The stabilizing means provides a compensating or cooperative action/between the hoists 42 so that the hoists are, pivotally moved substantially together and in'parallel paths. This stabilizing or compensation action is supplemented by the substantially rigid assembly of each of the cylinders 43y with the rock shaft 41. As a result the opposite ends of each hoist are concurrently acted upon to maintain a like pivotal movement of the hoists.

formed on a latch member. 81 (Fig. 4).

The arms. 22 are lifted and held in any moved position by manipulation of the control valves for the pumping unit 2|, with a lowering of the arms being accomplished by relieving the pressure applied to the cylinders 43 in a manner which is well known.

The scoop 36 is heldin its normal loading position, shown ln dotted lines in Fig. 1, and against pivotal movement on the arms 22 by means including a catch portion 82 projected from the rear side 'of the scoop backw-all 83 and having a tapered top portion 84 adapted for releasable engagement with a mating tapered portion 86 The latch member 81 is adjustably supported for verpression between the tubular member |4| and a nut |46 at the rear end of the rod |40.

tical movement on a pivoted arm y88 fulcrumed at its lower end on a center portion of the frame member`3l. The free end of the armv 88 is connected with a cable or the like 89 which is extended through a loop member 9| on the stabilizing bar 8| to a position adjacent the seat 92' for the tractor operator (Fig. 2).'

As shown in Fig. 4 the rear wall 83 of the scoop 36 is ina clearance relation with the frame member 3|. Thus on pivotal movement of the scoop 36in a clockwise direction, from its dumping position shown in Fig. 1, to its normal position shown in Fig. 4, the latch member 81 and in turn the arm 88 are moved in a direction rearwardly of. the` tractor by the catch member 82, until the tapered portion 84 is in an engaging position with l the tapered portion 86 on the latch member.

This engagement is releasably maintained by the action of a spring v94 (Figs. 1 and 4) arranged in compression between the frame member 3| and a depending portion 96 on the lever 88 in a manner to continuously bias the lever 88 in a direction forwardly of the' tractor, or in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4. Torelease the scoop 36 the cable 89 is pulled rearwardly to in turn pivot the arm 88 ina clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, against the pressure xof the spring 94, whereby the latch member 81 is moved out of an engaging position with the catch member 82. The shaft 3,4, on which the scoop 36 is carried, is so arranged that the weight of the load carried at the forward portion. 31 of the scoop 36 pivots-the scoop 36in a counterclockwise direction, yas also viewed in Fig. 4, to itsV dumping position shown in full lines in Fig. l.

The dumping position of the scoopA 36 is limof its being closed or compressed between the tubular member |4| and the nut |46 when'the When the scoop 36 is dumped the lever 91 is pivotally moved in a forward direction by the chainA 99 and cable |00, to its position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and in turn moves the rod |40 ina forward direction against the pressure of the spring |44. .On closing of the spring y|44 between the tubular member |4| andthe nut 36 the rod |40 is locked vagainst further forward movement and in turn' locks the lever 91 against further forward pivotal movement. These locked positions of" the rod |40 and lever 91 limit `the dumping movement -of the scoop 36. By virtue of the spring |44 being compressed to a closed position, asl the scoop approaches. its maximum dumping position, the spring acts asa shock absorber to prevent any sudden and jarring stopping of the scoop.

After the scoop has been dumped it is automatically` returned to a normal position by the action ofthe spring |44 and the relative movement between the lever 91 and the rod |40 in response to the downward pivotal movement of the lifting arms 22, Thuaasexplained above, a pressure is produced in' the spring |44 Vby virtue scoop is dumped. With the load off of the scoop 36 the pressure produced in the spring initially pivots the scoop toward a normal loading position until the spring pressure acting to move the rod' |40 and `in turn the'lever 91 ina rearward direction is substantiallyequal to the weight of the scoop 36 tending to move the lever 91 in a forward'y direction. As a result of this initial movement of the scoop 36 the spring |44 is in an equalized condition and incapable of further` `moving the vrod |40 in a rearward direction.

Thus on a' downward pivotal movement of the lifting arm's22 the pivotal movement of the scoop 36 vto a normal position. is continued by the movel' Vment of the leverf 91 in a rearward direction to its dotted line position'shown in Fig. 1. This movement of the lever 91 takes place by virtue of the pivotal supportof the tubularmember |4| above the pivotal support for thev arms 22 and the holding 0f 'the -rod |40 'by thev spring |44 itedby means-including an upright lever 91 pivoted at its lower-@nd in a bracket 98 mounted on a lifting arm 22 rearwardly of a plate member 4| (Figs. 1 and 3)-.,k The levei` 91, as shown in dotted lines in Figfi, is normally inclined vupwardly and rearwardly,\ which dotted line position is retained when the scoop is elevated to a dumping position. The free endof the lever'is connected to the rear end of\a chain 99',-the front end ofwhich is connected to\ rope or cable4 |00 extended forwardly Vof the tractor below a pulley |0|, rotatably supported on the \top of a frame member 32, and then pivotally attached at |02 to the rear wall 83 of the scoop at a position adjacent to the top of the scoop and toward\one side thereof.

Pivoted at its front end to the lever 91-\and adjacent the lower end of the lever is a rod |40.

'Ihe rear end portion of the rod |40 is slidable in a tubular member |4| pivoted at |42 to thex` top of an upright supporting member |43 mounted on the rear tractor axle |9. A spring |44 is gisplacement of the pistons 53. In other words 1 the closer the hoists 42 can be arranged tothe attachment.

against movement in a forward direction.y

` Thejadlustment. of the scoop 36 in a normal position-relative to the ground or to a horizontal plane is accomplished by screws |02a adjustably supported rearwardly of the scoop 36, on' an angular member |03 secured to a side of the scoop, and adapted .for engagement with a rest plate |03a carried on a lifting arm 22.

It is seen, therefore, that with the hoists 42 l.and an associated lifting arm 22 arranged adjacent one side of the tractor the tractor operator has completeA vision for operating and manipulating the tractor during operation of the loading By virtue of the vlocation of the hoists 42 rearwardly of the front axle |.1 and in asuspended position below the tractor frame a substantially long cylinder 43 is capable of being used while retaining the upper end oi the-cylinder adjacent the top levelrof the tractor.v The location of the hoists 42 rearwardly of the front axle |1 provides for the engagement of the cable 13 with the lifting 'arms 22 at a point substantially intermediate their ends whereby to increase the elevation of the arms 22 for a predetermined supported on the rod |40 and arranged in com- 75 pivots 23 for the lifting arms 22 the higher the arms 22 can be lifted with a given displacement or movement of the pistons 53. Also with the i upper ends of the cylinders I3 adjacent the top level of the tractor. the stabilizing means 8|.' when the pistons 53 are in their lowermost positions, is 1ocated adjacent the top ol' the tractor so as not to interfere with the visibility of the tractor operator during a usual bucking operation,

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since modications and alterations can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. v

We claim: l. A loading attachment for a tractor comprising a pair of pivoted arms arranged at opposite sides of said tractor for pivotal up and down movement, a pair oi' upright hydraulic hoists arranged at opposite sides of said tractor, with a hoist positioned between said tractor and a corresponding arm, means pivotally supporting said hoists on said tractor for pivotal movement longitudinally of said tractor, working pistons for said hoists, a bracket carried at the top of each one of said pistons, a pulley rotatably supported,

on a bracket for rotation in an upright plane, an equalizing link pivotally connected between said brackets, a liexible lifting means movably supported on each of said pulleys, with one end portion of a ilexible lifting means attached to said tractor and an opposite end attached to a i ally supported on the forward end of said frame unit, an upright lever pivoted at its lower end on said frame unit intermediate the ends of said frame unit, connecting means movably connected with the free end of said lever and said load carrying means, a'stationary upright support on said portable frame adjacent the rear end of said frame unit, a guide member pivoted adjacent the upper end of said stationary upright, an elongated member having one end portion pivoted to said lever and an opposite end portion slidably supported on said guide member, spring means for biasing said elongated member in a rearward direction, said load-carrying means, on being dumped, acting through said connecting means to pivot said lever and move said elongated member in a forward direction against the pressure of said spring means, with said load carrying means being returned to a normal position by the initial action of said spring means to move said elongated member in a rearward direction, and by the later action of said spring means to move said elongated member' in a rearward direction as saidV frame unit is-lowered.

3. A loading machine comprising a frame, a pair of pivoted lifting arms arranged at opposite sides of said frame and pivoted at their rear ends on said frame, ascoop pivotally supported between the forward ends of said arms, means for hunting the dumping movement of said scoop including an upright lever pivoted on one of said arms intermediate the ends thereof, connecting means movably connected with said scoop and the free end of said lever, an upright support on said frame adjacent the rear end of said one arm, means pivoted on said upright support at a position spaced upwardly from the pivotal support of said one arm, a rod pivoted at its forward end to said lever and having its rear end slidably supported on said pivoted means, a stop member on said rod rear end portion, coil spring means on said rod arranged in compression between said pivoted means and said stop member, said scoop, on being dumped, acting through said connecting means to pivot said lever to move said rod in a forward direction against the pressure of said spring means to a limiting position dellned by the closing of said spring means between said pivoted means and said stop member, with said scoop being returned to a normal position by the initial rearward movement of said rod in response to the expansion of said spring means, and the later rearward movement of said rod in response to a downward pivotal movement of said alms.

4. A loading attachment fora tractor comprising a pair of pivoted arms arranged at opposite sidesof said tractor for up and down pivotal movement, a pair of upright hydraulic cylinders arranged at opposite sides of said tractor, with each cylinder arranged between said tractor and an adjacent pivoted arm, means pivotally supporting said cylinders on said tractor for pivotal movement longitudinally of said tractor, pistons operatively associated with said cylinders, a pair of bracket members, means rotatably supporting each bracket member on the upper end of a piston for rotation relative to the piston about the longitudinal axis of the piston, pulleys rotatable on said bracket members for rotation in an uprightplane, a pair of cables,with each cable being movably supported intermediate its ends on one of said pulleys and having one end attached to said tractor and an opposite vend attached to an adjacent pivoted arm, with each bracket member being rotated by an associated cable in response to a pivotal movement of said pivoted arms to maintain said cable in operative assembly with an associated pulley, a link member pivotally connected between said bracket members, and means for concurrently operating said pistons to raise and lower said pivoted arms.

JOHN H. ROGERS. HERMAN E. LUEBBERS. 

